Heavyweights Moses Itauma and Dillian Whyte were today the latest headliners to appear at a pre-fight press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and realise, only once at the top table, that they had very little to say.
Whether that is because they are now impatient and sick of talking, or because there is no need to “sell” an event in Riyadh, is anyone’s guess, but one thing is for certain: the final time they meet, on Saturday, will be far more interesting than what we witnessed this evening.
Whyte, the 37-year-old underdog who once challenged Tyson Fury for the world heavyweight title, looked like a man who was just happy to be there – paid, invited, accepted back. Perhaps he is, too. Perhaps this was no act.
After all, in light of Whyte’s age and inactivity, he must have wondered whether he would ever get another shot as a headline fighter on a meaningful event. Not only that, it was only two years ago that a huge money-spinning rematch against Anthony Joshua was cancelled as a result of Whyte failing a performance-enhancing drug test. Back then, with good reason, it seemed as though his career was effectively over.
“I’ve had a few main events, a few pay-per-view fights, but there is so much more for me to achieve and chase in the game,” Whyte, 31-3 (21 KOs), said. “I haven’t really sat back and looked at my career and thought about this or thought about that.
“Listen, I’m someone who is not supposed to be here. I never had a great amateur career, no support, and I’m just a kid from Jamaica who has been written off many times. I was meant to be dead before I was in my twenties. But here I am doing stuff. What more can I say?”
When Whyte describes himself as “someone who is not supposed to be here” it is hard to argue with him, even if one would suggest entirely different reasons for one’s surprise than the reasons Whyte himself would suggest. For the truth is, although Whyte rightly points to his upbringing as something tough he had to overcome, there is also the small matter of inactivity, of which he has experienced plenty as a pro. This inactivity, of course, was often the consequence of him providing drug-testers with a positive sample. That was the case in 2012, when Whyte first failed a test, and it was the case again in 2023, when he fumbled the Joshua fight he had so desperately wanted.
As for Itauma, the expectation around him has been decidedly different. If Whyte has had to do things the hard way, and defy many doubters, Itauma’s biggest threat so far has been complacency and his own impatience. Still only 20, he has both time on his side and a burning desire to reach the top as soon as possible.
“I feel like Dillian Whyte is a strong contender and it’s nothing personal,” Itauma said ahead of Saturday’s fight. “I’ve got respect for every fighter. It’s just business.
“For a long time I didn’t think the fight was going to happen. But we’re here, we’ve live, and we’re ready. We were in camp for maybe 14 weeks, so we’re just ready to rock and roll, to be honest.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on the outcome of the fight. I know my game plan and I know what I need to do. So it’s just my job to go there and execute. Whatever happens on Saturday night, let it be.”
Even though he is relatively inexperienced as a pro, Itauma has seen enough and knows enough to treat Whyte’s uncharacteristic passivity with no more than a shrug. Rather than get lured in by his opponent’s suddenly carefree disposition, he views it as all part of the older man’s masterplan.
“I think there’s a rule in The 48 Laws of Power where you play a sheep to catch a wolf,” said Itauma, 12-0 (10 KOs). “I feel like that’s what Dillian Whyte’s doing. If he is, [or] if he isn’t, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to bring the heat Saturday night.
“We’re heavyweights and a fight can end at any point. I’m not delusional. I know what threat Dillian Whyte poses. I’m not overlooking him. I’m taking this man seriously.”
